The mission of the Indiana Department of Transportation (InDOT) is to "plan, build, maintain and operate a superior trans-portation system enhancing safety, mobility and economic growth." In an effort to improve the safety and mobility of the traveling public during snow and ice events, InDOT has added several technologies to the maintenance supervisor's toolbox. These technologies include an alphabet soup of acronyms like MDSS, AVL, RWIS and MDC. The tools are useful when used independently, but the real power of these tools is realized when they are combined. In 1990, InDOT began installing road weather information systems (RWIS) to give management and frontline supervisors real-time information on factors such as air and pavement temperatures, wind speeds, chemical concentrations and historical data. The first installations were placed in northern Indiana, where lake-effect snows and winter weather are the harshest. In spring 2003, InDOT started a deployment of RWIS to provide coverage throughout the state. InDOT plans to continue to add RWIS stations to its snow- and ice-fighting arsenal for the future.
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